Published: Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 10:32 a.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, April 24, 2014 at 4:18 p.m.

In 2009, Bob Fox measured 150 feet from high tide to the dune outside his condo at L'Elegance on Lido Key.

The distance now: 20 feet.

And last weekend's winds and waves did not help. “We lost 3 feet of sand vertically. It's gone forever,” Fox said.

Well, maybe not forever.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reworked its numbers, and it stands by its plan to dredge Big Sarasota Pass to provide sand for Lido Key beaches. Project manager Milan Mora and city of Sarasota engineer Alex DavisShaw conferred on the final wording of the Corps' report Thursday morning.

It will soon be ready for publication by the city, which will sponsor the dredging.

All that's left are the peer reviews and the protests.

The plan calls for dredging 1.1 million cubic yards of sand from a shoal in Big Pass and depositing it on the eroded shores of Lido Key. To hold the sand in place, the Corps would construct three groins at the north end of the pass, within or near Sarasota County's South Lido Beach Park.

When announced in October, the approach ran into immediate opposition from Siesta Key to the south. Property owners there argued that the shoal in Big Pass supplies sand to Siesta and that cutting into it could heighten erosion of their shores.

Mora and his staff promised to take another look.

After recalibrating their computer modeling, the Corps' engineers came to the same conclusion they reached initially.

“There is no impact to Siesta beaches,” Mora said.

However, that assurance is nowhere near the end of the story. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has to approve the plans, the city intends to subject them to review by other coastal engineers, and county government may get involved.

It could be as late as fall 2016 before any sand from Big Pass reaches Lido.

“What I worry about is the procrastination and what might be an impediment to renourishing our beach,” Fox said.

Mike Lepore said he has no intention of impeding renourishment, unless it threatens his livelihood.

With his daughter Maria Bankemper, Lepore owns the Best Western Plus Siesta Key Hotel, which under their ownership has undergone $2 million in renovation.

As Lepore notes, the key provides about 37 percent of the county's tourist taxes each year, in part because of the lure of Siesta Public Beach, which in 2011 was designated the No. 1 beach in the United States.

The hotel has hired attorney Donald Hemke of Carlton Fields in Tampa. In an April 17 letter to County Administrator Tom Harmer, Hemke wrote, “Best Western Plus Siesta Key does not oppose renourishment at Lido Key, but insists that any renourishment does not jeopardize Siesta Key in any way and that alternatives to obtaining sand from Big Pass be appropriately explored and used.”

Lepore said Lido could fill its erosion hotspots with sand from New Pass, which the city has mined periodically for navigation.

That produces about 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards, enough to fill in the low areas, but not enough for the more permanent fix the corps endorses.

The initial dig would cost an estimated $22.7 million, with the federal government paying 63 percent. The rest would come from the state and from the county's tourist development tax.

Subsequent dredgings, funding sources undetermined, would mine both passes every five years or so for 50 years.

Mora said the Corps has already considered other sources. “If I had my choice, if there were sand offshore, that would be my first choice,” he said. However, it's either too far away, claimed for other projects or incompatible.

He said the Big Pass shoal contains an estimated 25 million cubic yards, rendering the 1.1 million that might be dredged inconsequential.

Even so, Mora said, he welcomes the skepticism and the review of other engineers.

“I want to make sure what we're doing is right,” he said. “I don't want to be the one who destroys Siesta Key.”

EARLIER: In 2009, Bob Fox measured 150 feet from high tide to the dune outside his condo at L'Elegance on Lido Key.

The distance now: 20 feet.

And last weekend's winds and waves did not help. “We lost 3 feet of sand vertically. It's gone forever,” Fox said.

Well, maybe not forever.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reworked its numbers, and it stands by its plan to dredge Big Sarasota Pass to provide sand for Lido Key beaches. Project manager Milan Mora and city of Sarasota engineer Alex DavisShaw expect to work on the final wording of the corps' report today. (Check back later today for more on the report.)

It will soon be ready for publication by the city of Sarasota, which will sponsor the dredging.

All that's left are the peer reviews and the protests.

The plan calls for dredging 1.1 million cubic yards of sand from a shoal in Big Pass and depositing it on the eroded shores of Lido Key. To hold the sand in place, the corps would construct three groins at the north end of the pass, within or near Sarasota County's South Lido Beach Park.

When announced in October, the approach ran into immediate opposition from Siesta Key to the south. Property owners there argued that the shoal in Big Pass supplies sand to Siesta and that cutting into it could heighten erosion of their shores.

Mora and his staff promised to take another look.

After recalibrating their computer modeling, the corps' engineers came to the same conclusion they reached initially.

“There is no impact to Siesta beaches,” Mora said.

However, that assurance is nowhere near the end of the story. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has to approve the plans, the city intends to subject them to review by other coastal engineers, and county government may get involved.

It could be as late as fall 2016 before any sand from Big Pass reaches Lido.

“What I worry about is the procrastination and what might be an impediment to renourishing our beach,” Fox said.

Mike Lepore said he has no intention of impeding renourishment, unless it threatens his livelihood.

With his daughter Maria Bankemper, Lepore owns the Best Western Plus Siesta Key Hotel, which under their ownership has undergone $2 million in renovation.

As Lepore notes, the key provides about 37 percent of the county's tourist taxes each year, in part because of the lure of Siesta Key Beach, which in 2011 was designated the No. 1 beach in the United States.

The hotel has hired attorney Donald Hemke of Carlton Fields in Tampa. In an April 17 letter to County Administrator Tom Harmer, Hemke wrote, “Best Western Plus Siesta Key does not oppose renourishment at Lido Key, but insists that any renourishment does not jeopardize Siesta Key in any way and that alternatives to obtaining sand from Big Pass be appropriately explored and used.”

Lepore said Lido could fill its erosion hotspots with sand from New Pass, which the city has mined periodically for navigation.

That produces about 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards, enough to fill in the low areas, but not enough for the more permanent fix the corps endorses.

The initial dig would cost an estimated $22.7 million, with the federal government paying 63 percent. The rest would come from the state and from the county's tourist development tax.

Subsequent dredgings, funding sources undetermined, would mine both passes every five years or so for 50 years.

Mora said the corps has already considered other sources. “If I had my choice, if there were sand offshore, that would be my first choice,” he said. However, it's either too far away, claimed for other projects or incompatible.

He said the Big Pass shoal contains an estimated 25 million cubic yards, rendering the 1.1 million that might be dredged inconsequential.

Even so, Mora said, he welcomes the skepticism and the review of other engineers.

“I want to make sure what we're doing is right,” he said. “I don't want to be the one who destroys Siesta Key.”

<p>In 2009, Bob Fox measured 150 feet from high tide to the dune outside his condo at L'Elegance on Lido Key.</p><p>The distance now: 20 feet.</p><p>And last weekend's winds and waves did not help. “We lost 3 feet of sand vertically. It's gone forever,” Fox said.</p><p>Well, maybe not forever.</p><p>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reworked its numbers, and it stands by its plan to dredge Big Sarasota Pass to provide sand for Lido Key beaches. Project manager Milan Mora and city of Sarasota engineer Alex DavisShaw conferred on the final wording of the Corps' report Thursday morning.</p><p>It will soon be ready for publication by the city, which will sponsor the dredging.</p><p>All that's left are the peer reviews and the protests.</p><p>The plan calls for dredging 1.1 million cubic yards of sand from a shoal in Big Pass and depositing it on the eroded shores of Lido Key. To hold the sand in place, the Corps would construct three groins at the north end of the pass, within or near Sarasota County's South Lido Beach Park.</p><p>When announced in October, the approach ran into immediate opposition from Siesta Key to the south. Property owners there argued that the shoal in Big Pass supplies sand to Siesta and that cutting into it could heighten erosion of their shores.</p><p>Mora and his staff promised to take another look.</p><p>After recalibrating their computer modeling, the Corps' engineers came to the same conclusion they reached initially.</p><p>“There is no impact to Siesta beaches,” Mora said.</p><p>However, that assurance is nowhere near the end of the story. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has to approve the plans, the city intends to subject them to review by other coastal engineers, and county government may get involved.</p><p>It could be as late as fall 2016 before any sand from Big Pass reaches Lido.</p><p>“What I worry about is the procrastination and what might be an impediment to renourishing our beach,” Fox said.</p><p>Mike Lepore said he has no intention of impeding renourishment, unless it threatens his livelihood.</p><p>With his daughter Maria Bankemper, Lepore owns the Best Western Plus Siesta Key Hotel, which under their ownership has undergone $2 million in renovation.</p><p>As Lepore notes, the key provides about 37 percent of the county's tourist taxes each year, in part because of the lure of Siesta Public Beach, which in 2011 was designated the No. 1 beach in the United States.</p><p>The hotel has hired attorney Donald Hemke of Carlton Fields in Tampa. In an April 17 letter to County Administrator Tom Harmer, Hemke wrote, “Best Western Plus Siesta Key does not oppose renourishment at Lido Key, but insists that any renourishment does not jeopardize Siesta Key in any way and that alternatives to obtaining sand from Big Pass be appropriately explored and used.”</p><p>Lepore said Lido could fill its erosion hotspots with sand from New Pass, which the city has mined periodically for navigation.</p><p>That produces about 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards, enough to fill in the low areas, but not enough for the more permanent fix the corps endorses.</p><p>The initial dig would cost an estimated $22.7 million, with the federal government paying 63 percent. The rest would come from the state and from the county's tourist development tax.</p><p>Subsequent dredgings, funding sources undetermined, would mine both passes every five years or so for 50 years.</p><p>Mora said the Corps has already considered other sources. “If I had my choice, if there were sand offshore, that would be my first choice,” he said. However, it's either too far away, claimed for other projects or incompatible.</p><p>He said the Big Pass shoal contains an estimated 25 million cubic yards, rendering the 1.1 million that might be dredged inconsequential.</p><p>Even so, Mora said, he welcomes the skepticism and the review of other engineers.</p><p>“I want to make sure what we're doing is right,” he said. “I don't want to be the one who destroys Siesta Key.”</p><p>EARLIER: In 2009, Bob Fox measured 150 feet from high tide to the dune outside his condo at L'Elegance on Lido Key.</p><p>The distance now: 20 feet.</p><p>And last weekend's winds and waves did not help. “We lost 3 feet of sand vertically. It's gone forever,” Fox said.</p><p>Well, maybe not forever.</p><p>The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has reworked its numbers, and it stands by its plan to dredge Big Sarasota Pass to provide sand for Lido Key beaches. Project manager Milan Mora and city of Sarasota engineer Alex DavisShaw expect to work on the final wording of the corps' report today. <i>(Check back later today for more on the report.)</i></p><p>It will soon be ready for publication by the city of Sarasota, which will sponsor the dredging. </p><p>All that's left are the peer reviews and the protests.</p><p>The plan calls for dredging 1.1 million cubic yards of sand from a shoal in Big Pass and depositing it on the eroded shores of Lido Key. To hold the sand in place, the corps would construct three groins at the north end of the pass, within or near Sarasota County's South Lido Beach Park.</p><p>When announced in October, the approach ran into immediate opposition from Siesta Key to the south. Property owners there argued that the shoal in Big Pass supplies sand to Siesta and that cutting into it could heighten erosion of their shores.</p><p>Mora and his staff promised to take another look.</p><p>After recalibrating their computer modeling, the corps' engineers came to the same conclusion they reached initially.</p><p>“There is no impact to Siesta beaches,” Mora said.</p><p>However, that assurance is nowhere near the end of the story. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection has to approve the plans, the city intends to subject them to review by other coastal engineers, and county government may get involved.</p><p>It could be as late as fall 2016 before any sand from Big Pass reaches Lido.</p><p>“What I worry about is the procrastination and what might be an impediment to renourishing our beach,” Fox said.</p><p>Mike Lepore said he has no intention of impeding renourishment, unless it threatens his livelihood.</p><p>With his daughter Maria Bankemper, Lepore owns the Best Western Plus Siesta Key Hotel, which under their ownership has undergone $2 million in renovation.</p><p>As Lepore notes, the key provides about 37 percent of the county's tourist taxes each year, in part because of the lure of Siesta Key Beach, which in 2011 was designated the No. 1 beach in the United States.</p><p>The hotel has hired attorney Donald Hemke of Carlton Fields in Tampa. In an April 17 letter to County Administrator Tom Harmer, Hemke wrote, “Best Western Plus Siesta Key does not oppose renourishment at Lido Key, but insists that any renourishment does not jeopardize Siesta Key in any way and that alternatives to obtaining sand from Big Pass be appropriately explored and used.”</p><p>Lepore said Lido could fill its erosion hotspots with sand from New Pass, which the city has mined periodically for navigation.</p><p>That produces about 300,000 to 400,000 cubic yards, enough to fill in the low areas, but not enough for the more permanent fix the corps endorses.</p><p>The initial dig would cost an estimated $22.7 million, with the federal government paying 63 percent. The rest would come from the state and from the county's tourist development tax.</p><p>Subsequent dredgings, funding sources undetermined, would mine both passes every five years or so for 50 years.</p><p>Mora said the corps has already considered other sources. “If I had my choice, if there were sand offshore, that would be my first choice,” he said. However, it's either too far away, claimed for other projects or incompatible.</p><p>He said the Big Pass shoal contains an estimated 25 million cubic yards, rendering the 1.1 million that might be dredged inconsequential.</p><p>Even so, Mora said, he welcomes the skepticism and the review of other engineers.</p><p>“I want to make sure what we're doing is right,” he said. “I don't want to be the one who destroys Siesta Key.”</p>